Looking for suggestions about new computer power supply

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: Kevin Cozens <kevin-4dS5u2o1hCn3fQ9qLvQP4Q at public.gmane.org>

This thread already has good advice.  I'll add a few more thoughts.

| The power supply in my 4 to 5 year old HP m7680n seems to be on its way out.
| Usually I need to replace the supply due to the fan bearings wearing out. This
| time it is more than a fan problem. It won't turn on via the front power
| button and I've had occasional system lockups (and kernel crashes).

Power supply problems can have obscure manifestations.  So replacing
is a good idea.

| The details of my computer can be found at
| http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00739902&cc=ca&dlc=en&lang=en&lc=en&product=3230688

It is good that you include a complete description.

| The mother board has a 24 pin (main power) and a 4-pin connector on it. I need
| 4 SATA power connectors (2 SATA HD drives, 2 DVD drives). There is also a
| built-in memory card reader and removable drive bay. I will have to open the
| machine to see what type of power connection they use.

More useful details.

| The original supply was only a 300W supply. I would like to get a new supply
| with a rating in the range of 500W to 650W continuous.

My impression is that 400+ would be fine.  But there is more profit in
aftermarket large supplies so there is more choice there.

| An 80 plus supply would
| be good, and price in the range of $50 to $100.

Should be quite do-able.

I care a lot about noise too.  Some supplies are noisier than others.
Hard to tell in a store.  You could look at silentpcreview.com, but
there are way more power supplies than they can cover.

There are a lot of sites that review power supplies.  I have no idea
which ones are trustable.  http://www.jonnyguru.com/index.php is
apparently Canadian.  Some like that site's reviews.  I don't vouch
for them.

One trouble with hardware reviews: many are opinion and reputation
driven and have little time for science and engineering.

| I'm looking for something that
| will last quite a few years as I don't buy new computers that often. My
| previous machine had a Pentium II and I used it for 9 years before replacing
| it with the current machine. It had a few upgrades along the way and two power
| supply replacements (due to fan issues).
| 
| I'm looking at the various power supplies available online via Best Buy
| (http://tinyurl.com/BestBuyPowerSupplies) as it will be easy to do a return if
| what I get isn't right for my machine. The supplies available at my local
| store are made by Dynex, and Rocket Fish. I wasn't impressed by what I read
| about the Dynex one and the Rocket Fish one can vary depending on who actually
| made it.
| 
| A message in the BB forum mentioned that Corsair and Cooler Master are good
| supplies. I know about Thermaltake but I'm not that familiar with some of the
| other brands listed.
| 
| I'm interested in suggestions, things to watch out for (ie. get or stay away
| from supplies with APF), which brands may be better or are best avoided.
| 
| -- 
| Cheers!
| 
| Kevin.
| 
| http://www.ve3syb.ca/           |"Nerds make the shiny things that distract
| Owner of Elecraft K2 #2172      | the mouth-breathers, and that's why we're
|                                 | powerful!"
| #include <disclaimer/favourite> |             --Chris Hardwick
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| 

| From: William Weaver <williamdweaver-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>

| This isn't quite what your looking for, but hopefully it still helps. I
| personally stay away from Best Buy.

Agreed!

If you spend full price, you ought to get service.  You don't get it
at BB.  Their sales people generally don't know much and don't know
it.

| Canada Computers is good if you need to put your hands on it, else NewEgg's
| service is phenominal in the States, and I can olny assume that their
| Canadian counterpart is just as good.

NCIX has good sales, including on power supplies.  My impression is
that on every day prices, CC is usually better.  But it is easy to
compare.

There are at least five reasonable power supplies in
<http://www.ncix.com/promo/promosale.php?webid=LastMinute2012&sn=3939>
(this week's sale; ending tonight and replaced with a new sale, also
with a bunch of supplies).  NCIX also has weekend-only in-store sales,
starting late Fridays.

CC has weekend sales that start early Friday but they have many fewer
items than NCIX sales.

I often order online from CC or NCIX with in-store pickup.  This means
that you can be sure that it is there when you go to pick it up.  The
process isn't instant.

I like to visit the store when I'm making slightly tricky purchases,
so newegg.ca would not be my choice if I would like even the slightest
hand-holding.

If you want a bit more hand-holding, you may find that you have a
decent neighbourhood computer store.  Sadly, I think that those are
dying out since customers are not willing to give them a living
margin.

| From: Colin McGregor <colin.mc151-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>

| The @#$% annoying problem with so many "name" brand PCs (Dell, HP,
| etc.) is that they use just slightly non-standard power supplies. So,
| I have seen power supplies where the mounting holes were is the
| "wrong" position so that you could only use a replacement power supply
| for that model from the name brand supplier.

That used to be really really annoying.  I've scrapped a couple of
systems for this reason.

I don't think that that is common for normally sized systems recently.

I've replaced the power supplies in a couple of even older HPs and had no
problem using a generic supply.

I'd bet that Kevin's system takes an ordinary power supply.  Of course
"ordinary" changes over time: the kinds and numbers of connectors
evolve.  So it is good for Kevin to take a census of his system and
checking the proposed replacement before purchasing.

Other gotcha

- sometimes all the connectors you need are there but the
  cables are too short.

- the motherboard PS connector changed width at some point long ago.
  Most power supplies allow for this, but you have to plug in the
  right part

- some video cards (probably not Kevin's) also require extra power
  cables.
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